Dispenser for self-adhering label

ABSTRACT

A SELF-ADHERING LABEL HAVING A PROTECTIVE COVERING MEMBER OVER AN ADHESIVE COATING THEREON AND AN APERTURE IN ONE OF TWO READILY SEPARABLE PORTIONS THEREOF CAPABLE OF CARRYING DATA IN WRITTEN OR CODES FORM AND A DISPENSER OF SUCH LABELS CAPALE OF AUTOMATICALLY DISPENSING LABELS ONE AT A TIME AND REMOVING THE PROTECTIVE COVERING MEMBER PRIOR TO APPLICATION OF THE LABEL TO AN OBJECT.   D R A W I N G

Oct. 3, 1972 H. BoucRls 3,695,981

DISPENSER FOR SELF-ADHERING LABEL Filed Jan. 12, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG .1

Oct. 3, 1972 B s 3,695,981

DISPENSER FOR SELF-ADHERING LABEL Filed Jan. 12, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 3, 1972 H. BOUCRIS DISPENSER FOR SELF-ADHERING LABEL 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 12, 1970 FIG.6

FIGS

United States Patent US. Cl. 156-584 Claims AETRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A self-adhering label having a protective covering member over an adhesive coating thereon and an aperture in one of two readily separable portions thereof capable of carrying data in written or coded form and a dispenser of such labels capable of automatically dispensing labels one at a time and removing the protective covering member prior to application of the label to an object.

The present invention relates generally to the labeling of products and objects of any type.

It is known in the art to use labels, one surface of which is coated with an adhesive product and wherein this surface is covered with a detachable protective support. The protective support is drawn off when the label is used, which is accomplished either manually or mechanically.

There is known label dispensing apparatus which mechanically separate the protective support from the label and which operate either on continuous bands of labels, often in the form of rolls, or on labels which are provided in these apparatus one by one. It is the aim of the present invention to make use of labels which are provided in an apparatus in the form of a stack or pile.

In the first place, the present invention is concerned with and directed to a label which is characterized by the fact that it comprises a base member having a self-adhering portion anl a portion which is easily detachable from the self-adhering portion; this detachable portion and possibly also the self-adhering portion being provided to receive inscriptions either in visually readable language or in code; this label comprising moreover a protective paper covering the self-adhering portion and slightly projecting thereover on the side opposite that of the detachable portion, and an aperture.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the coded inscriptions are of the magnetic type and are placed on either one or several zones coated with a magnetizable product on this detachable portion, and the detachable portion being constituted in this manner may then be utilized for the automatic treatment of information or data provided thereon.

In the second place, the present invention is concerned with and directed to a mechanical distributor which makes use of the aforementioned labels and which is characterized by the fact that it comprises a storing member for storing these labels by stacking the same, which member is equipped at the lower part thereof with an opening permitting the passage of a single label, and with means for dispensing the labels one by one; means for seizing or gripping the projecting part of the protective paper and withdrawing this protective paper from the self-adhering portion by preventing the extraction of the label com- 'ice pletely from the aforementioned storage member while stripping the protective cover therefrom; the label having the self-adhering portion thereof being ready to be ap plied to the object that is intended to be labeled, and an operating member which actuates all of the aforementioned means. The means for seizing or gripping and withdrawing the protective paper are characterized by the fact that they are arranged in a manner such that starting with this operating member alone the means seizing or gripping the protective paper "withdraw it from the selfadhering portion and then release it after it has been completely removed.

According to a preferred embodiment of the distributor according to the present invention, the means for Withdrawing or removing the protective paper comprise two jaws which are movable around the same axis, and specifically an upper jaw and a lower jaw; the upper jaw is actuated by a small rod connected to the operating member, and the lower jaw is elastically held against the upper jaw but may be disengaged therefrom by means of another smaller rod and abutments.

The means for dispensing the labels one by one consist of a movable finger actuated by the operating member and cooperating with the aperture that is provided in the label, the height thereof being smaller than the thickness of the label, anl a passage calibrated to the thickness of the label preceded by an inclined face or side.

The study of one embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figures described below will render possible a better understanding of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a label according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the distributor proposed by the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the aforementioned jaws;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the aforementioned movable finger;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, at a greatly enlarged scale, of the movable finger and the calibrated passage, and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the 'end of the jaws.

The label shown in FIG. 1 comprises a layer 1 composed of a portion 2 whose back surface is self-adhering due to an adhesive coating thereon, and a portion 3 which may carry information or data, these two portions being rendered easily separable by virtue of a perforation 4, and a protective paper 5 covering the rear surface of the layer 1 and slightly projecting (portion 6) over the side of the portion 2; an aperture 7 located preferably in the center of the portion 2 is utilized by the distributor for drawing out or dispensing a label, as Will be further described hereinafter.

The information or data provided on the portion 3 may either be in visually readable language or in magnetic coded form by virtue of the provision of bands 8 and 8' of magnetizable material. The same data may be repeated in readable or coded language on portion 2.

The distributor shown in FIG. 2 comprises essentially a reservoir 10 for a pile or stack of labels, two jaws 12 and 13 articulated around the fixed axle 23, an operating lever 15, and a handle 16.

Furthermore, a pressing means 11 holds the labels quite flatly within the reservoir 10, a ratchet 17 makes it possible to retain the pressing means 11 in a disengaged position during supply of the distributor with labels, and a brush 14, for example, of felt, serves to apply the adhesive portion of the label onto the object to be labeled.

The operation of the means for withdrawing or removing the protective paper from the label will be described in connection with the diagram of FIG. 3. The upper jaw 12 and the lower jaw 13 are articulated around the fixed axle 23. The movement of the upper jaw 12 is produced by the small rod 21 which connects this jaw to the operating lever 15. In a first movement, the lever 15 being pulled against the handle 16 (FIG. 1) by pivoting around an axle 27 actuates the small rod 21 and hence the upper jaw 12 in a downward direction. The lower jaw 13 will thereupon be actuated downward in turn by the upper jaw 12, a spring 25 exerting a tightening stress or force between the two jaws. This first movement is divided into three actions:

(1) Only the upper jaw 12 is displaced until it comes in contact with the lower jaw 13 which, by means of the rear part thereof, had been supported against the abutment 22; the end 6 of the protective paper is then taken between these two jaws.

(2) The two jaws 12 and 13 are then displaced downwardly simultaneously. It should be noted that then the end 31 of the small rod .24 which is guided in a groove integral with the lower jaw 13 is displaced with respect thereto. The protective paper 5 is gripped at portion 6 by the jaws 12 and 13 and separates from the self-adhering portion of the label as the paper 5 is pulled downwardly.

(3) When the end 31 of the small rod 24 arrives at the lower end of the groove 39, it abuts against the latter and entrains the lower jaw 13 which effects a displacement greater than that of the upper jaw 12 which is actuated by the small rod 21; these two jaws 12 and 13 thus are progressively separated from each other and free the protective paper which must then be found to be totally withdrawn from the storage member 10.

In the course of the second part of this movement, as described above, the protective paper has taken along the self-adhering portion which had adhered thereto and which now projects upwardly, and had then slipped against the detachable portion which remains at the inside of the distributor. It is then possible to apply the self-adhering portion which now projects upwardly in front of the brush 14 onto the object which is to be labled with the aid of the brush 14 (FIG 2), and then to withdraw the remainder of the label which was still being held in the storing member.

The return movement of the operating lever 15 is accomplished, for example, under the action of a return spring (not shown). During this movement, which is shown in FIG. 4, a new label is being extracted from the reservoir 10 in a manner such that the end 6 of this label will come to be positioned between the two jaws 12 and 13 when they have returned into the initial position thereof.

When the operating lever 15 arrives near the end of the return course thereof, a small cam surface 41 thereon will push a support 45 by means of a roller 42. This support 45 entrains, in the translating movement thereon, the finger 43 placed at the end of a small flexible plate 44. In the trajectory thereof, this finger 43 meets with the aperture 7 of a label it becomes engaged therein and thus entrains or guides this label 50 during the remainder of the course or path thereof. The detail shown at an enlarged scale in FIG. 5 illustrates that the height of the finger 43 must be smaller than the thickness of a label so as to entrain only the one lable at the bottom of the stack or pile. On the other hand, the orifice 51 arranged at the bottom of the reservoir 10 is calibrated to the thickness of a label. In order to facilitate the exit of this label, the orifice 51 starts with an inclined side or face 52 which allows particularly for pressing back into shape and for allowing the passage of a slightly crumpled label.

In order to better grip or seize the end 6 of the protective paper of the label, the gripping parts of the jaws have the configuration such as shown in FIG. 6. The upper jaw 12 comprises a longitudinal triangular groove 61 and the lower jaw 13 comprises widely spaced teeth 62 whose cross section is identical to that of the groove 61 and which are placed opposite to the latter.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to but a single embodiment, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to the specific details thereof, but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as would be apparent to one with normal skill in the pertinent technology.

What I claim is:

1. A dispenser for dispensing labels comprising:

a storage member for storing a stack of labels provided on its lower part with a first opening stretching substantially along one of its edges and provided with a second opening substantially perpendicular to said first opening and disposed in the bottom of said storage member, and wherein the labels have at least one self-adhering part covered with a protective paper of which a projecting portion slightly extends over the edge of the label and are arranged so that the protective paper carrying the label is on the side of the label remote from the adjacent label and so that the projecting portions of the protective papers of the label are on side of said storage member adjacent the first opening,

a mechanism arranged to be inserted across the second opening and act on the lower label of the stack in order to at least partially move said projecting portion of the protective paper out of the storage member through said first opening,

a seizing means, comprising a first upper jaw and a second lower jaw pivotable about a common axis, arranged in a first extreme position substantially to face said first opening,

pivoting means for pivoting said jaws into a second extreme position where said label is completely removed from said storage member and said protective paper is detached,

first means for separating said jaws in the said first position, so that the projecting portion of the protective paper can be inserted between said jaws,

second means for forcibly closing said jaws when in an intermediate position between the said first and second positions and third means for separating the said jaws when in the second extreme position.

2. A dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein said pivoting means comprises a first rod connecting said upper jaw to an operating member, one end of said rod being guided by a slot, said upper jaw pushing in turn said lower jaw downwardly.

'3. A dispenser as defined in claim 2, wherein said first means for separating said jaws comprises an abutment cooperating with the said lower jaw in resisting the eifect of said second means which forcibly close the jaws in the intermediate position.

4. A dispenser as defined in claim 3, wherein said third means sepaarting said jaws comrises a second rod of which one end is attached to said operating member and the other end is positioned in a groove located in an arm of said seizing means which carries said lower jaw, said other end of said second rod arriving at the end of said groove slightly before the jaws reach the second extreme position in order to directly displace the said lower jaw by producing a greater movement of said lower jaw than said upper jaw.

5. A dispenser as defined in claim 4, wherein said mechanism is controlled by said operating member supplied with a stop which, during the return of the jaws from said second extreme position to said first extreme position, abuts against a support which carries the said mechanism which further comprises a finger attached to a flexible plate which is fixed to said support, said support displacing said finger so as to engage in said second opening of said storage member and pull the lowermost label from the stack.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Kind et al. 156-584 Collons 156-584 Hamish 156-584 Schrotz 156-584 Robertson 156-344 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner I. V. DORAMUS, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

